Despite taking all the necessary COVID-19 precautions—and then some—and at great cost, many restaurant owners across Northeast Ohio are struggling to break through the perception that in-person dining isn't safe. For the owners of Mama Catena Vino e' Cucina, a 31-year-old fixture in Euclid's dining scene, the constant struggle between sanitation and paying the bills has been emotionally taxing.

Mama Catena, located at 711 Babbit Road in Euclid, has offered traditional takes on classic, Italian dishes since 1989. Started by Rina and Fran Catena’s Sicilian-born parents, the restaurant’s core belief centers around a warm, friendly, family-like dining experience. However, amid the coronavirus pandemic, the once-bustling dining room has gone quiet far too often, Rina Catena said.